Sincere
by tastewithouttalent
Summary: "'It looks worse than it actually is,' is the first thing Klaus says as Steven approaches." Steven is unusually sincere after the fight with Despair.


"It looks worse than it actually is," is the first thing Klaus says as Steven approaches.

Given that Klaus looks like he's entirely absent all the blood in his body, the fact that he is speaking at all is excellent evidence for this claim. It's still not enough comfort to stop the dizzy drop of Steven's stomach at the sight as his mental footing skids on ice he can't brace himself for. Klaus is looking at him over the top of his glasses, his sleeves soaked as red as his hair, and his eyes are bright but his jaw is set in a line of what Steven recognizes as an attempt to resist showing the appearance of pain.

"Ah," Steven says, picking his way forward across the rubble to Klaus's side. "As long as it only _looks_ bad." Klaus takes a breath as Steven draws closer, squaring his shoulders into determination as the other man reaches for him; Steven is very sure Klaus is ready to take his hand as only a momentary support, as a tool to drag himself to his feet before he makes an ill-advised attempt to stand on his own. This is why he reaches past Klaus's rising hand to his shoulder instead, why he leans hard against the broad strength in the other's shoulder to hold him down, and why he quirks a lopsided smile down at Klaus when the other's gaze snaps up to stare confusion at him.

"Indulge me," Steven says, keeping his hold on Klaus's shoulder as he turns himself around and presses in against the other's side. Klaus gets his arm up unassisted, though the weight of it drops heavy across Steven's shoulders, and Steven takes a moment to steady his footing on the uneven ground under them, to brace himself for the effort standing will require. "When you're ready."

Klaus doesn't answer aloud; he's shifting himself, dragging hard against Steven's support to get his feet under him, and for a moment Steven has to forgo speech himself just to keep his attention on their shared balance and the force pressing against his shoulders. There's a skid of dust, a sound in Klaus's throat close enough to pain that Steven flinches, and then Klaus says "Ready" and they're standing, the effort of pulling the other to his feet enough to hold all Steven's attention for a moment. It's too much for the span of full heartbeats; Klaus has the advantage of breadth and weight, and Steven can feel his whole body protesting the force bearing down across his shoulders. But then Klaus takes a breath, and steadies his footing, and some of the weight on Steven eases as the other takes what of their balance he can manage.

"Can you walk?" Steven asks, quietly, the words for Klaus's ears only, keeping his gaze ahead and his mouth in a faint smile.

"I'll be fine," Klaus says, which isn't an answer, exactly, but he takes a step and that serves the purpose better than words. Steven is slow to follow, the gap in their motion enough to throw them off-balance for a moment, but then he's walking, and Klaus is finding his strength again, and they're picking their careful way back towards the others. Steven can feel Klaus's exhaustion in the burden of the arm across his shoulders, in the chill damp of the blood soaking into the back of his jacket and catching at the bottom edge of his hairline. It would be enough to be terrifying if the warmth of Klaus pressed against him weren't such a relief, if Steven couldn't feel the proof of the other's continued survival radiant against him.

"Thank you," Klaus says, a low rumble of sound Steven can feel like comfort in his bones. "My apologies for the inconvenience."

"Far from it," Steven says, feeling his smile go tighter as it drags at one corner of his mouth and glancing sideways to catch Klaus looking at him. "You know I always value excuses to be close to you." Klaus snorts amusement, as he was meant to, and Steven's smile goes wider still, breaking across his whole face with relief so strong he can feel the edge tipping into hysteria. He has to look away from Klaus's face to control the emotion on his own, has to take a deep breath of calm into his lungs as they approach the others, and then he sees a bowed head and a focal point for his scattered attention presents itself.

"Leo," Steven says aloud, turning he and Klaus's movement to head towards the boy in question. Leo looks up at the sound of his name, the blue of his eyes coming clear in the daylight; Steven can see the pattern overlaid on the glow they give off, can see the shattered-glass cracks spread through one. Leo's shoulders go stiff, stress writing itself into the posture as Steven watches; he looks worn out, his forehead creased on too many emotions to pull apart and his mouth trembling with exhaustion Steven is sure runs at least as deep as Klaus's.

Steven lets his smile go wider, watches Leo's expression ease into relief as he does. "I just wanted to say-" and his throat closes up, the heat of emotion in his chest sharp and sudden and so wholly unexpected it takes him a moment to fight it back. He has to shut his eyes, has to take a shaky breath; he can feel Leo staring at him, can hear Klaus bracing himself to say "Steven" like a warning and a question at once.

"I wanted to say thank you," Steven says, finding the space for the words on an exhale before he opens his eyes. Leo's eyes are wide, his shoulders slumped into surprise; Steven can see Klaus watching him in his periphery, can feel the tension of the other's arm tightening across his shoulders. "For everything."

Leo's smile is sudden, bright as the sunlight that catches the fractured blue in his eyes into a glow. Steven tightens his hold on Klaus's bloodstained vest, and takes a breath past the ache of gratitude in his chest, and when he smiles in return it's warm with all the aching sincerity he has to give.


End file.
